I was in the hospital at age 14 and told I would have to go on insulin, but I got better. Then hospitalized again, same thing when I was 22 in the navy.

The first time the docs were surprised, the navy doc one morning said if I could pass a urine sugar test I could return to duty and "forget it ever happened". I wanted OUT of sick bay and was glad to forget it.

You might want to do a web search for diabetes type 1b. It's NOT type-2 and fits my diabetes best, if that is possible. I have also had several other autoimmune issues since my teens.

Docs, especially in the past did not always TELL their patients. I found out 40 YEARS after the fact the Navy KNEW I suffered a hearing loss while on active duty. I just learned for sure that my diplopia (started at age 18) was caused by Multiple Sclerosis, many many decades later.

Docs are not always the greatest at explainning things in ways patients understand. I will TRY and give some easy to understand principles. If I use a term you do not understand, ASK!

Inuslin needs;

BASAL.. I liken it to what a car motor needs in the way of fuel to IDLE. Not enought fuel/insulin the engine/body stalls. I have my BASAL insulin adjusted so my blood sugar is very stable for at least 5hrs, with NO food or exercise.

BOLUS insulin is extra fuel/insulin the engine/body needs to climb a hill. A meal is a hill and a snack is a smaller hill. Fast carbs like regular pop, OJ etc are very fast carbs (good for treating lows) or a very steep hill.

If you BOLUS too much, like a stuck gas pedal, you climb the hill and the engine/body is still reving as it crests the hill and you go down the hill FASTER, that's when you use the brake, OJ POP etc, to slow down so you don't crash going down the hill.

FOODS: A meal is like a hill, the bigger the more fuel/gas needed to navigate the hill.

The lower the carbs. smaller hill. more carbs = BIGer hill.Lower glycemic foods make for a more gentle hill and high glycemic foods (that SPIKE BS), like fruit juices reg soda etc make for a steeper hill.

RAPID insulins, Like Novalog, Humlalog etc do a good job of matching normal meals, but its not fast enough to do as well with juices, reg soda etc, that is a good reason to try and avoid them, unless treating a low.

EXTRA food/snack is needed for energy for phsyical activity. Think of it as like a reverse bolus. When I was doing P/T (phsyical Therapy), I would have a snack just before starting the session to cover my activity so I did not worry about going low.

Diabetes is a balancing act between carbs/sugar, insulin and activity. Most endos or a dietician will make a meal plan, so many carbs/meal and snacks in between for a more even stable blood sugar.

Everyone varies and specifics need to be tailoer for each diabetic. YOU have to learn to read you body, how certain foods affect you, how various exercises and activities affect YOU (or your child).

HONEYMOON is a period lasting weeks or even months, maybe a year even after Dx. That is where the pancrease may get moody and work a little sometimes and not work at all other times. It's an OXYMORONIC term, the hardest time IMO.

KNOWLEDGE is power, learn all you can, but give yourself time to absorb it, ther is a lot to learn, so be patient with yourself. There is no reason a diabetic can not do jsut about anything, be anything they want. With todays better diet info and modern insulins, diabetics should be able to live long healthy lives, even healthier than their non-diabetic counterparts.

ANYtime you even think you (or your child) NEEDS medical attention, do NOT HESITATE, better safe than sorry later. In other words, if the situation brings you to think maybe I need to go to ER or call 911, the odds you you SHOULD.

-1- There is NO such thing as too old or too young....They are learning the age stereo-type not always fit.

-2- It is GOOD that you watch your daughter. You know the signs.

-3- If there are no signs or no apparent problem make sure her doc checks her on a regular basis.

Better safe than sorry...

Times have CHANGED a lot in my 30 years since I was hauled off in an ambulance and admited to the hospital for diabetes. There is no reason even a young person can not do or be anything and live a long healthy life.

I had my annual phsyicalrecently. My famDoc reminded me I am labeled a TYPE-2. I have been on insulin almost all my 30 years od diabetes Dx and treated more like a type-1, MDI etc.I nearly flipped because my diabetes is a bit wierd, alternates between full and partial shutdown and flips at times for no reason. My last total shut down lasted a couple years, but now my beta cells seem to be functioning a little. Even my endo notes how different he treats me compared to most of his patients, changes always small, 1 or 2 units at a time.None of my doctors, current endo included ever ordered any antibody testing of any kind, never had anything other than blood sugar and A1c. That includes landing in the ER via ambulance the evening I was seen by a company doc and given a clean bill of health earlier that morning.

I have informed my FamDoc I want antibody testing, even tho it would not change my current treatment. So the only suggestion I have gotten was to just stop taking insuin and see what happens (was he joking?). That sounds risky to me. A co-worker's T-2 husband stoped his insulin for just a couple days, had a heart attack, then his kidney's shut down and he died. I was moved from the old N + R insulins just over 3 years ago to MID, Lantus and humalog and my diabetes is more stable than ever in over 30 years.

I know I don't fiteither typical T-1, but NOT a typical type 2 either. My diabetes management, insulin routine has been great, I see no reason to change, I just want a PROPER LABLE, am I asking TOO MUCH?

Just killing time brousing, actually got into WebMD tonite, wonder of wonders. CRAP..I thought being a sorta orphan diabetic was BAD.....I have been on a CRAB for my MS now a little over a month....CRAB, stands for Copazone, Rebif, Avonex and Betaseron, the main options of DMDs (desease modifying drug) for MS.

What about AID, or AD for autoimune Diabetes?

Weight.. I have had times I had to take more insulin when my weight was down and less when it was up a little......So weight does not ALWAYS equate to weight for me...

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